Animal Wisdom: The Moth

Animal symbolism: the lessons of moths

Symbolism is literally everywhere. It’s a language you can learn to speak and it much relates to the tarot, which speaks in symbolism. It signifies ideas, qualities and represents situations.
If you are aware, try to notice what animals are showing up for you. Do they have a specific meaning? Are they acting in a way that reminds you of something?

We all vibrate on a certain frequency and what’s happening outside of us, can show us a mirror or bring new ideas and insights. There’s no need to read something in everything though. That can keep you busy forever, so you can switch looking at your surroundings differently on and off.

Moths’  message

I have been flooded with moths for the last months. They seem feel attracted by intuition, the unseen and mystery (since I read cards professionally I linked it to that). In the past I have also seen them as a warning sign. Like: ‘listen to your gut’ (when something doesn’t quite feel right, especially in dealings with people you were unsure of already. Perhaps they are indeed operating ‘in the dark’. ) or ‘there’s something you are not aware of, take a closer look’.

This time around unfortunately there was also a real loss in my life. Since Moth also relates to death. Moth seems to be more focussed on that what transforms within us, which makes it different from the butterfly that operates on daylight and a certain outward birth.

Animal Wisdom Tarot

When moths are showing up in your reality:

Moths are transformational animals, especially known for finding light in any situation. They also understand the 'unseen' dimension, so can tell you to trust your gut. Be a bit careful to not only navigate on that trust though. Also take actions that are needed.

It's also a symbol of nearing endings which can be quite literal at times. End of a job and/or a certain life phase/people leaving your life. I feel they may come in to tell something will be taken "into the dark/unseen" and/or ask you to take closer attention to your gut/what's going on in your surroundings. This doesn't have to be scary.

Questions you can ask yourself:
- Is there similarity with your life?
- Are you transforming something in your life that will do you good?
- What is no longer working in your life?

Moth caterpillars

Right now the moths seems to have settled in my kitchen (I’m not too happy about this) and they disappeared but there are moth caterpillars everywhere on the ceiling! Caterpillar again relates to a transformation yet it's a work in progress still. So I'm not sure how this will play out just yet, but to me it seems like there was a successful ending and release. New moths may relate to enhanced intuition and/or new levels of understanding.

Ted Andrews writes in his book that the caterpillar foretells fortune and birth. It’s the second phase of butterfly and/or moth life. After that the cocoon phase is coming up. It’s a great time to prepare for new projects. But it also asks you to be careful, because it’s still in the beginning phase. I am in the midst of new projects and starts.

Taking it a step further

As an extra in reading animal symbolism you can start taking in where animals show up for you. It will get you a clearer message. When I do that I approach the subject as it was a dream. For example: the moths are in the kitchen. The kitchen is a  place of new ideas, projects and especially creativity. It’s where you create and ‘cook up’. The cater pillars are on the ceiling. Ceilings represent limits. The highest you can possibly reach. Think about the expression the glass ceiling. It also relates to the future. So apparently there’s a transformation going on around limitations and breaking through them (rebirth of the moth). Which is exactly what I’ve been working on. I would love to hear your experiences around animal symbolism. Don’t hesitate to share them.